Category: Sports

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed changes to its national men’s selection committee, bringing former captains Misbah-ul-Haq and Sarfaraz Ahmed into the panel following the resignation of former elite umpire Aleem Dar.

The updated composition of the selection committee was reflected on the PCB’s official website, confirming a four-member panel that now includes Misbah, Sarfaraz, former fast bowler Aqib Javed and ex-Test batter Asad Shafiq.

Dar’s departure comes after a relatively brief stint as a selector, having been appointed to the role on October 11, 2024. His exit follows reports suggesting internal disagreements during recent selection discussions.

According to sources, the multiple-time ICC Umpire of the Year had grown frustrated with the dynamics of the selection meetings, where he reportedly felt sidelined in the decision-making process.

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The former umpire is also understood to have opposed the inclusion of Babar Azam, Shadab Khan and Usman Khan in Pakistan’s squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

Sources further indicated that Dar had strongly backed wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan during the discussions.

He reportedly argued that if the management was willing to persist with players going through inconsistent form, Rizwan deserved similar backing and opportunities.

READ: India eye special performance to conquer ‘street-smart’ England

India will need a “special performance” to beat a “street-smart” England in their T20 World Cup semi-final in Mumbai, bowling coach Morne Morkel warned on Wednesday.

Sanju Samson’s sparkling 97 not out enabled India to chase down 196 against the West Indies in a winner-takes-all clash on Sunday in Kolkata.

Morne said India would again need someone “to put their hand up” against Harry Brook’s side on Thursday night to keep the nation’s dream of a home World Cup win alive.

Morkel agreed India had not put together a flawless display in the tournament yet, but said that did not matter.

“We haven’t really spoken about the perfect game,” Morne told reporters at Mumbai’s Wankhede stadium after India’s final training session before Thursday’s big clash.

“It’s not about how you get to the semi-finals. It’s about the next two games, how we’re going to play there.

“I think the quality of this team has been shown that on the day somebody will put their hand up.

“Then hopefully, especially tomorrow night, we can put that special performance in.”

It is the third T20 World Cup in a row that India will play England in the semi-finals.

Both previous times the winners went on to lift the trophy.

In 2022, England crushed India by 10 wickets in Adelaide and beat Pakistan in the Melbourne final.

Two years ago India won in Guyana by a similarly dominant 68 runs before downing South Africa in Barbados.

This time, though, India will have the backing of 35,000 fiercely partisan fans in Mumbai.

“It’s a big occasion tomorrow night here, a semi-final, a great stadium to play a great game of cricket,” said Morkel.

“So hopefully the boys can rock up tomorrow and just be calm and execute those skills.”

India are leaving nothing to chance in their preparations.

Training on Tuesday night was delayed by an hour so it did not coincide with a lunar eclipse, which is considered unlucky in India.

“I was told about the lunar eclipse and the session was pushed backwards,” admitted Morkel.

“I think the most important thing to focus on was the quality the guys put in at training, which was great to see.”

India hosted the T20 World Cup in 2016 and lost in a Mumbai semi-final to eventual champions the West Indies.

India are wary of the threat posed by England, who were shaky in the group phase but powered through the Super Eights with wins over Sri Lanka, Pakistan and New Zealand.

“They’re a team that’s street smart. Obviously there’s a lot of quality in their side,” said Morkel.

“Their batting is deep, which makes them a very dangerous side. With the ball, they’ve got a lot of attacking options.

“The way they approach a T20 game, fearless, trying to take the game on, will give you opportunities.

“Tomorrow is going to be a good shoot-out between two aggressive teams.”

READ: PCB unveils squads and schedule for National T20 Cup 2026

KOLKATA: New Zealand have won the toss and decided to field first against South Africa in the first semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 here at the Eden Gardens on Wednesday.

More to follow…

Playing XIs

New Zealand: 1 Tim Seifert (wk), 2 Finn Allen, 3 Rachin Ravindra, 4 Glenn Phillips, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Mark Chapman, 7 Mitchell Santner (capt), 8 James Neesham, 9 Cole McConchie, 10 Matt Henry, 11 Lockie Ferguson

South Africa: 1 Aiden Markram (capt), 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Ryan Rickelton, 4 Dewald Brevis, 5 David Miller, 6 Tristan Stubbs, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Corbin Bosch, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Keshav Maharaj, 11 Lungi Ngidi

Head to Head

New Zealand and South Africa have played each other 19 times in the T20I format. South Africa have won 12 times while New Zealand have won seven.

READ: PCB unveils squads and schedule for National T20 Cup 2026

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday officially announced the final squads and detailed schedule for the upcoming National T20 Cup 2026.

The tournament will commence on Saturday, March 7, with the semi-finals slated for March 17 and the final scheduled a day later on March 18.

A total of 23 matches will be played at the Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, which previously hosted nine Quaid-e-Azam Trophy fixtures in October and November 2025.

This year’s competition will feature 10 regional sides: Abbottabad, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Karachi Whites, Karachi Blues, Lahore Blues, Lahore Whites, Multan and Sialkot.

Group A comprises Lahore Whites, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Karachi Whites and Bahawalpur.

Meanwhile, defending champions Lahore Blues headline Group B alongside Sialkot, Multan, Abbottabad and Karachi Blues.

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The top two teams from each group will progress to the semi-finals.

During the group stage, two matches will be played daily from March 7 to 16. The first fixture will begin at 4:15pm PKT, followed by the second at 9:15pm PKT. The final is set to start at 8:00pm PKT, with the toss scheduled for 7:30pm.

The squads feature a mix of seasoned internationals, emerging prospects and guest players, promising a highly competitive tournament.

Abbottabad will be led by Khalid Usman and include notable names such as Kamran Ghulam, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Wasim Jr., and Shadab Khan as guest players.

Bahawalpur will be captained by Muhammad Imran, with Haider Ali and Daniyal Hussain Rajput among their guest inclusions.

Faisalabad, under Muhammad Irfan Khan, boast the services of Asif Ali, Khurram Shahzad, Mubasir Khan and Zaman Khan.

Karachi Whites will be spearheaded by Saud Shakeel and feature Shan Masood and Saim Ayub, while Karachi Blues, captained by Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, include Shahnawaz Dahani and Mehran Mumtaz among their ranks.

Defending champions Lahore Blues will be led by Saad Nasim, while Lahore Whites will be captained by Aamir Jamal.

Multan have named Imam-ul-Haq as captain, with Aamir Yamin and Faisal Akram part of their setup.

Peshawar will be led by Mohammad Rizwan and feature Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Haris and Abbas Afridi.

Sialkot, under Usama Mir, include Abdullah Shafique and Mohammad Ali among their key players.

National T20 Cup Squads

Abbottabad

Khalid Usman (captain), Afaq Ahmed, Ahmed Khan, Arshad Iqbal, Atizaz Habib Khan, Fayyaz Khan, Kamran Ghulam, Khushdil Shah (Guest), Mohammad Wasim Jnr (Guest), Mohammad Mohsin Khan, Razaullah, Sajjad Ali (wk), Shadab Khan (Guest), Shahab Khan and Shahzaib Khan (U21)

Reserves: Hamid Ali, Adil Naz, Fakhar Zaman, Afaq Khan, Riazullah (U21)

Bahawalpur

Muhammad Imran (captain), Ali Shabbir (U21), Daniyal Hussain Rajput (Guest), Mohammad Faizan Zafar, Haider Ali (Guest), Hasnain Majid (U21), Khaqan Basheer, Mohammad Akram (wk), Mohammad Azab, Mohammad Basit, Mohammad Junaid, Muhammad Sarwar Afridi (Guest), Mohammad Sudais, Mohammad Umair and Saad Khan (Guest)

Reserves: Ali Hamza Waseem, Aoun Shahzad, Mohammad Faizan (U21), Amjad Ali, Gulfam Aziz

Faisalabad

Muhammad Irfan Khan (captain), Ahmad Safi Abdullah, Afaq Afridi (Guest), Asif Ali, Asim Ali Nasir (wk), Atiq-ur-Rehman, Daniyal Ali Khan (U21), Faham-ul-Haq (U21), Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Faizan, Mohammad Zeeshan (U21), Momin Qamar (U21), Mubasir Khan (Guest), Muhammad Awais Zafar and Zaman Khan (Guest)

Reserves: Mudassir Zunair, Ali Shan, Ali Asfand, Taimur Sultan, Shehzad Gul

Karachi Whites

Saud Shakeel (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Arif Yaqoob, Danish Aziz, Haroon Arshad (U21), Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (wk), Mohammad Asghar, Muhammad Hamza Sohail, Muhammad Umar, Omair Bin Yousuf, Rizwanullah, Saifullah Bangash (wk), Saim Ayub, Saqib Khan and Shan Masood

Reserves: Asadullah Hamza, Muhammad Tariq Khan, Sohail Khan (wk), Mir Hamza, Huzaifa Ahsan

Karachi Blues

Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (captain, wk), Ahsan Ali, Asad Akhtar, Jahandad Khan (Guest), Jahanzaib Sultan, Khalil Ahmed (Guest), Mehran Mumtaz (Guest), Mohammad Taha, Muhammad Usman Raheem, Rameez Aziz, Rehman Ghani, Saad Baig (wk), Shahnawaz Dahani (Guest), Syed Shah Raza Naqvi and Wahaj Riaz

Reserves: Aarish Ali Khan, Raza Chandio, Mohammad Makki, Niqab Shafiq, Huzaifa Munir

Lahore Blues

Saad Nasim (captain), Abdullah Asif (U21), Ahmed Bashir, Ali Hassan Baloch (U21), Ali Razzaq, Asadullah, Attyab Ahmed, Hamza Zahoor (wk), Hunain Shah, Imran Butt, Mohammad Rizwan, Nisar Ahmed, Qasim Akram, Shahid Aziz (Guest) and Umar Siddiq

Reserves: Hammad Butt, Shahrukh Ali, Khawaja Mohammad Abdullah (wk), Mohammad Ahsan, Abubakar (U21)

Lahore Whites

Aamir Jamal (captain), Ali Raza, Ali Shahid Butt, Farhan Yousuf (U21), Imran Dogar, Junaid Ali (wk), Kamran Afzal, Mohammad Faiq, Muhammad Akhlaq, Mohammad Mohsin, Mohammad Rameez Jnr, Muhammad Saleem, Samama Riaz, Tayyab Tahir and Ubaid Shah

Reserves: Hamza Nawaz (U21), Muhammad Arsalan (U21), Usama Tariq, Zahid Khan, Zian Bin Farooq (wk)

Multan

Imam-ul-Haq (captain), Aamir Yamin, Ali Majid, Ali Usman, Bismillah Khan (Guest, wk), Faisal Akram, Hasan Hafeez, Mohammad Ismail (U21), Mohammad Naeem (Guest), Muhammad Shahzad, Moheer Saeed, Sharoon Siraj, Sirajuddin, Waseem Akram Jnr and Zain Abbas

Reserves: Uzair Mumtaz, Abdul Wahab (U21), Mohammad Shan (U21), Saim Ayaz, Alam Zaib Khan (wk)

Peshawar

Mohammad Rizwan (captain, wk), Ahmed Hussain (U21), Azam Khan, Ihsanullah, Iftikhar Ahmed, Israrullah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Shoaib (U21), Mohammad Imran Jnr, Nabi Gul, Sajid Khan, Usman Tariq, Waqar Ahmed and Yasir Khan

Reserves: Nizar Ali, Muhammad Amir Khan, Abuzar Tariq, Muhammad Amir Barki

Sialkot

Usama Mir (captain), Abdullah Shafique, Ahmad Hassan, Ahsan Hafeez Bhatti, Ali Afzal (wk), Athar Mehmood, Azan Awais, Hamza Nazar, Khawaja Arham, Mirza Tahir Baig, Mohsin Riaz (wk), Mohammad Ali, Saeed Ali, Shoaib Akhtar Jnr and Tayyab Arif

Reserves: Aashir Mehmood, Mohammad Hurraira, Shahzad Bhatti, Abdul Subhan, Awais Ali, Afzaal Manzoor

Hasan Nawaz and Sufyan Moqim will join the squad later.

READ: Babar Azam out as Pakistan name ODI squad for Bangladesh series

DUBAI: Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan has surged to second place in the latest ICC T20I batters’ rankings following a historic run at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, narrowing the gap on India’s Abhishek Sharma.

Farhan finished the tournament with a staggering 383 runs at an average of 76.60, the most by any batter in a single edition of the T20 World Cup.

In doing so, he also became the only player to score two centuries in one T20 World Cup campaign.

The prolific right-hander climbed one position to second in the rankings with 848 rating points.

Despite enduring a relatively quiet tournament, Abhishek Sharma continues to hold the top spot, while England’s Phil Salt has slipped to third.

While Farhan enjoyed a meteoric rise, several other Pakistani batters witnessed a dip. Saim Ayub and Babar Azam each dropped one place to 35th and 37th, respectively. T20I captain Salman Ali Agha fell three spots to 41st.

However, Fakhar Zaman made a notable jump, climbing 17 places to 71st after his blistering 84-run knock against Sri Lanka in the final Super Eights fixture. He now sits on 481 rating points.

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In the bowlers’ rankings, Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed advanced two places to third with 736 points, edging closer to India’s Varun Chakaravarthy, who occupies the top position. Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan remains second.

Mohammad Nawaz retained his 12th spot, while pacer Salman Mirza dropped three places to 21st. Shaheen Shah Afridi slipped four positions to 35th with 602 points.

Spinner Usman Tariq held firm at 55th, and Sufiyan Muqeem stayed at 60th. Saim Ayub, who features in the bowling rankings as well, fell to 67th.

Leg-spinner Shadab Khan dropped seven places to 72nd, while pacer Haris Rauf slid three spots to 84th. Abbas Afridi currently sits at 98th with 415 points.

In the all-rounders’ category, Saim Ayub slipped one position to third, paving the way for India’s Hardik Pandya to move up to second. Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza continues to lead the standings.

Mohammad Nawaz climbed one place to eighth, while Shadab Khan dropped to 22nd. Faheem Ashraf and Salman Ali Agha both slipped three spots to 55th and 56th, respectively, and Shaheen Afridi fell two places to 65th.

READ: WATCH: PSL 11 logo unveiled ahead historic eight-team season

LAHORE: The countdown to the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 11 has officially begun after the league unveiled its new logo for the upcoming edition on Wednesday.

The PSL’s official X account revealed the branding on Tuesday, creatively incorporating the Urdu word for eleven (گیارہ), with the numeral “11” seamlessly embedded into the design.

 

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The logo reflects both tradition and modernity, signalling the start of what promises to be a landmark campaign for the marquee T20 tournament.

PSL season 11 is scheduled to get underway on March 26 at Lahore’s iconic Gaddafi Stadium, with organisers finalising preparations for an expanded and restructured competition.

This year’s edition will be historic for multiple reasons. For the first time, the league will feature eight teams, marking a major expansion in its structure.

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PSL 11 also introduces a significant shift in its player recruitment model, replacing the traditional draft system with an auction format.

In the tournament opener, defending champions Lahore Qalandars will face tournament debutants Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen. The match will be preceded by a colourful opening ceremony in Lahore.

In another notable development ahead of the season, the franchise that initially operated as Sialkot Stallionz has officially been rebranded as Multan Sultans.

READ: Babar Azam out as Pakistan name ODI squad for Bangladesh series

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board has made a bold statement ahead of the Bangladesh tour, leaving out former captain Babar Azam from the 15-member ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series.

The series, scheduled from March 11 to 15, will see all matches played at the Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka.

Alongside Babar, young opener Saim Ayub has also been excluded following underwhelming returns in recent white-ball outings.

Saim featured in eight ODIs in 2025, accumulating 236 runs at an average of 29.50, including two half-centuries.

Babar, meanwhile, scored 544 runs in 17 ODIs this year at an average of 34.00, registering one century and three fifties.

Veteran opener Fakhar Zaman, meanwhile, has been ruled out due to a hamstring injury and is currently undergoing rehabilitation.

Left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi will continue to lead the ODI side, with six uncapped players included in the squad.

The newcomers include Abdul Samad, Maaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan and Shamyl Hussain.

Notably, Abdul Samad, Maaz Sadaqat, Saad Masood and Shamyl Hussain were recently part of the Pakistan Shaheens squad that faced England Lions in Abu Dhabi.

Pakistan squad for Bangladesh ODIs

Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Hussain Talat, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha and Shamyl Hussain

Series schedule:

March 8 – Pakistan arrival

March 10 – Practice

March 11 – First ODI at Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka

March 13 – Second ODI at Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka

March 15 – Third ODI at Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka

READ: Sarfaraz Ahmed set to be appointed as Pakistan Test head coach: sources

Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has sustained a hamstring tendon injury during club action, though his availability for the FIFA World Cup 2026 does not appear to be in serious doubt at this stage.

Ronaldo picked up the injury during Al Nassr’s 3-1 victory over Al Fayha in the Saudi Pro League last month.

The 41-year-old forward was substituted in the 81st minute after showing visible discomfort, with television cameras later capturing him on the bench applying an ice pack to his right hamstring.

What initially seemed like a minor concern has since been confirmed as a muscle injury.

Following medical examinations conducted on March 3, Al Nassr released an official statement confirming the issue and outlining the next steps in his recovery.

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The club stated that Ronaldo “has started a rehabilitation programme and his condition will be assessed day by day,” adding that he is currently undergoing a specialised recovery plan.

According to various media reports, the Portugal captain is expected to be sidelined for between two and four weeks.

If the projected timeline holds, he should return to full fitness well before the World Cup kicks off across the United States, Mexico and Canada on June 11.

At present, Ronaldo is highly unlikely to feature in Al Nassr’s upcoming league fixture against Neom SC on March 7, with the focus firmly placed on ensuring a complete recovery rather than rushing him back into action.

Ronaldo, who has previously represented European giants Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus, is in line to feature in a record sixth World Cup.

READ: Brazilian winger Rodrygo set to miss World Cup with knee injury

Real Madrid said Tuesday their winger Rodrygo Goes has suffered a severe knee injury, which will keep him out of the FIFA World Cup 2026 with Brazil this summer.

“Following the tests carried out today on our player Rodrygo by Real Madrid’s medical services, he has been diagnosed with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament and a tear of the lateral meniscus in his right leg,” said Real Madrid in a statement.

Rodrygo appeared as a substitute in Madrid’s 1-0 home La Liga defeat by Getafe on Monday, where he sustained the injury.

The 25-year-old stayed on the pitch, but tests revealed the severity of his injury on Tuesday.

Rodrygo had only just returned to action after a month out with tendonitis.

“One of the worst days of my life, how much I always feared this injury… maybe life has been a bit cruel to me lately,” Rodrygo wrote on Instagram later Tuesday.

“I don’t know if I deserve this, but what do I have to complain about? How many wonderful things have I already experienced that I also didn’t deserve?”

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The winger said his “dream” of competing at the World Cup this summer was over.

“A major obstacle has arisen in my life, in my career, one that keeps me from doing what I love most for a while,” he continued.

“I’m out for the rest of the season with my club and out of the World Cup with my country, a dream which everyone knows how much it means to me. And all that’s left is for me to be strong as always.”

Carlo Ancelotti, formerly Rodrygo’s coach at Real Madrid, will not be able to call on the forward for record five-time winners Brazil’s bid to secure a sixth World Cup trophy this summer in the United States.

Real Madrid will also miss the forward, particularly with French forward Kylian Mbappe currently sidelined because of a knee sprain.

Alvaro Arbeloa only has three fit attackers available, in Vinicius Junior, Gonzalo Garcia and Franco Mastantuono, ahead of next week’s Champions League last 16 clash against Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu.

READ: Fakhar Zaman doubtful for ODI series against Bangladesh

LAHORE: Pakistan’s preparations for the upcoming ODI series against Bangladesh have suffered an early setback, with veteran opener Fakhar Zaman likely to miss the three-match assignment due to a hamstring injury.

According to reports, the left-handed batter is currently undergoing rehabilitation after picking up the injury, casting serious doubt over his availability for the tour.

While no official confirmation has been issued yet, indications suggest that the 35-year-old may not recover in time for the series.

Pakistan are scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on March 9, with all three ODIs set to be played at the Shere Bangla National Stadium on March 11, 13 and 15.

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Fakhar Zaman had a restricted outing at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, featuring in just two matches. He missed Pakistan’s group-stage fixtures against the Netherlands, USA, India and Namibia before returning for the Super Eights.

Despite limited opportunities, the experienced opener made his presence felt. He struck a brisk 25 against England and followed it up with a scintillating 84 off 42 deliveries against Sri Lanka, smashing nine fours and four sixes in a commanding knock.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh tour itself remains under observation amid ongoing regional tensions. Sources suggest the series will proceed only if the prevailing situation does not escalate into travel or security concerns.

Schedule of Pakistan-Bangladesh series

• First ODI – March 11
• Second ODI – March 13
• Third ODI – March 15
• First Test – May 8 to 12
• Second Test – May 16 to 20

READ: Sarfaraz Ahmed set to be appointed as Pakistan Test head coach: sources